negative
Definitions
Expressing refusal, denial, or 'no'; opposite of affirmative.
否定的；表示拒绝的（与肯定相对）
Harmful, unfavorable, or pessimistic; not constructive.
消极的；负面的；不利的
Less than zero, or carrying the minus electrical charge.
负的（小于零的）；负极的
(Of a medical test) showing no sign of the condition tested for.
（医学检测）阴性的
A word or statement that means 'no'; a refusal.
否定词；否定，拒绝
A photographic image in which light and dark are reversed.
（摄影）底片，负片
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedneg (say no, deny) + -ative (adj.) = 'saying no.' The earliest sense is plainly a refusing answer. From 'a no' it spread to 'bad, unfavorable' (a negative attitude rejects the good), and then to cold technical senses: a number that is the opposite of plus (negative), the pole opposite to positive (negative charge), and the photographic negative where light and dark are flipped. Wherever you see it, it marks the opposite of yes or of plus.
Root neg still carries 7 more wordsWhy It Means This
One word, three worlds. In everyday talk, negative is emotional — a negative person, negative feedback, a negative attitude. In math and physics it is neutral and exact — a negative number, a negative charge. In medicine it is good news — a negative result means the disease was not found. The link is the original 'no': a negative test says 'no, not present'; a negative number says 'no, below zero'; a negative mood says 'no' to everything. Knowing the root keeps these three from feeling like three unrelated words.
Usage Guide
- Emotional / evaluative (everyday): negative attitude, negative feedback — bad, unhelpful, pessimistic.
- Mathematical (neutral): a negative number, negative growth — below zero, not a value judgment.
- Electrical (technical): the negative terminal / negative charge — opposite of positive.
- Medical (good news): the test came back negative — the condition was NOT found. Note this is the reverse of everyday 'negative': here negative is the result you want.
- As a noun: 'the negatives' = downsides; 'a photographic negative' = the reversed film image.
Example Sentences
- 1.
She has a very negative attitude toward change at work.
- 2.
Subtracting eight from five gives you a negative number.
- 3.
Good news — all his test results came back negative.
- 4.
Connect the black wire to the negative terminal of the battery.
- 5.
The film negatives were stored in a cool, dark drawer.
Easily Confused
negative vs pessimistic — Both describe a gloomy outlook, but negative is broader: it covers any 'no' (a negative number, a negative test, negative feedback), while pessimistic is only about expecting bad outcomes. All pessimists are negative about the future, but a negative test result has nothing to do with pessimism.
Synonym Comparison
- negative — broadest; covers refusal, harm, below-zero, and the minus pole
- pessimistic — specifically about expecting the worst
- adverse — formal; refers to harmful conditions or effects (adverse weather, adverse reaction)
- unfavorable — about circumstances or judgments that work against you
- detrimental — formal; actively causing damage